Recent Devotions
“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3 Merriam-Webster describes the word lovely as “delightful for beauty, harmony, or grace.” According to Strong’s Concordance, the word is only found four times in the Bible. David used it to describe Jonathan in his lament in II Samuel 1:23. In Song of Solomon 5:16, the bride describes her beloved as being “altogether lovely.” In Ezekiel 33:32, the people just regarded the prophet’s words as a lovely song, pleasant to listen to.…
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT Have you ever visited an Art Gallery? The paintings displayed are not just those of amateurs but of skilled artists. There…
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:13-14 When I was a child, we used to make paper snowflakes in…
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When I was eight, I wanted to ride my older sister’s ten-speed bike. I didn’t want to ride a kid’s bike; I wanted to be a big kid! One Friday afternoon, my dad unsuccessfully tried to teach me how to ride the ten-speed. After falling off and running into a sticker bush, I gave up. Hurt, bleeding, and crying, I finally gave up my dream of riding my sister’s bike. I remember coming into the house crying and angry about this one obstacle I couldn’t get past. I walked into the house feeling defeated and the scars to prove it.…
“These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.” (Zechariah 8:16-17, ESV) Yesterday we talked about the trustworthiness of God. Today let’s take that a step farther and talk about our need to be trustworthy in our relationships with others. People sometimes disappoint us. They break our trust, and it hurts. If that person is really close to us, it…
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” I Peter 5:7 Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes “careless” as being untroubled, indifferent, unconcerned, negligent, or slovenly. In most cases, we use the word careless to describe someone who makes decisions without thinking about the consequences, someone who takes unnecessary risks, or someone who does not take care of what they have. But let us consider that first word in the definition – “untroubled.” Then we can re-write the verse above as “Live careless (untroubled) in the care of God.” The New Living Translation reads: “Give all your worries and cares…
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “masterpiece” means “a work done with extraordinary skill” We were all created by a very skilled master. He took his time forming us, making sure everything was perfect. He decided our hair color, the exact shade of our skin, and our height. He is the master artist and we are his masterpiece. He knew who you would be, your talents, and what you would struggle…
